Hawaiian ports resume operations as Hurricane Hector degrades

The US Coast Guard Captain of the Port reopened all commercial ports in the Hawaiian Islands as of 5 p.m. Wednesday. All vessel and cargo operations have resumed in Hawaii, Honolulu and Maui counties. Hurricane Hector is expected to continue to move west and degrade as it continues in its current direction.

As the remnants of Hurricane Hector pass the Hawaiian Island Chain, offshore and harbor areas may experience strong winds and surge. Vessel and facility operators are urged to prepare for these conditions and continue to exercise caution during operations.

Hector is the first significant storm of the Eastern and Central Pacific Hurricane season. It is namely the most intense hurricane in the Eastern Pacific in terms of maximum sustained winds since Patricia in 2015 and Sandra from the same year in terms of minimum pressure, and the most intense in the Central Pacific since Ioke of 2006.

More storms are expected, and the Captain of the Port reminds vessels, facility operators, and mariners to observe annual seasonal hurricane preparedness and be ready for future changes to Port Conditions and readiness.

As a reminder, the public and visitors to Hawaii should always heed all warnings from lifeguards, public health and safety officials. Although weather conditions may appear favorable, rip tides and high surf may continue to impact beaches as the storm degrades. Swimmers are urged to stay clear of beaches until local officials say the water is safe. Near-shore waters may become contaminated due to runoff up to several days following a storm.